Steaming-tray for bottled beverages.



Patented Nov, I3 I900. P. D. LAIBLE.

STEAMING TRAY FOR BOTTLED BEVERAGES.

(Application filed May 25, 1899.)

jNo Modei.)

INVENTOR:

Mm.m

ATTORNEYS.

Patented Nov. l3, I900. 7'

P. D. LAIBLE.

STEAMING TRAY FOR BOTTLED BEVERAGES.

(Application filed May 25, 1899.:

(N0 Model.)

4 Sheets-Sheet 2;

INVENTORQ WITNESSES:

ATTORNEY;

m: uonms PEYERS co. we?

No. 66l,804. Patented Nov; l3, I900.

- ,P. n. LAIBLE.

STEAMING TRAY FOR B'OTTLED BEVERAGES. (Application filed ma za, 1899.)

(No Model.) 4 Sheets8heet 3.

WITNESSES: INVENTOR w dz. fam

WM.W BY r6? ma mums PETERS co. wonuurnov, wnsnmcnml, n. c.

No. 66|,804. Patented Nov. l3, I900.

P. n. LAIB LE. STEAMING TRAY FOB BOTTLED BEVERAGES.

(Application filed May 25, 1899.) No Model.) 4 4 Sheets-Sheet 4.

III rr II u u I u l WITNESSES: INVENTOR: 01W 4. M. ILLLmihLw- M m m (HE NORRIS vrrzns coy, PHOTO-LITHQ, WASHYNGTUN, o. c,

UNITE STATES I PATENT OFFICE.

PHILIPD. LAI-BLE, or NEWARK, NEWJ RSEY.

STEAMlNG-TRAY FOR BCTTLED BEVERAGES.

SIPECIFIGATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 661,804, dated November 13, 1900.

Application filed May 25, 1899. serial No. 718.161. (N0 model.) i

To all whom, it may concern/.-

Be it known that I, PHILIP D. LAIBLE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Newark, in the county of'Essex and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvemen ts in Steaming-Trays for Bottled Beverages; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact descriptionof the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use thesame, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the characters of reference marked thereon,which form a part of this specification.

The objects of this invention are to provide in a box or-tray for containing bottled beverages a detachable bottom which can be disconnected from the walls or frame of the box or tray and left with the bottles thereon in any desired place, the other part of the box being carried away to be connected to another bottom; to thus render it unnecessary to leave an entire box with the bottles delivered, but only a portion of the box; to thus enable a smaller number of boxes to be used, and to thereby lessen the expense incident to handling bottled beverages; to enable an entire tray full of bottles to be steamed as one bottle without removal from the tray; to thus decrease the labor required, and to secure other advantages and results, some of which may be hereinafter referred to in connection with the description of the working parts.

The invention consists in the improved steaming-tray for bottled beverages and in the arrangements and combinations of parts of the same, all substantially as will be hereinafter set forth, and finally embraced in the clauses of the claim.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, in which like characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in each of the several views, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a steamingsrtray of my improved construction, and Fig. 2 is a plan of the same Fig. 3 is a sectional view on line 00, Fig. 2, with the bottles and steaming-top removed. Fig. 4: is a per-* spective view of a certain removable bottom upon which the bottles stand in the tray. Fig. 5 is a side View of a portion of the steaming-top on anenlarged scale, and Fig. 6 is a plan of the same. Fig. 7 is a central vertical section of a single cap of the steaming-top, and Fig. 8 is a similar section of an adjustable plunger adapted to work in said cap. Fig. 9 is an enlarged detail view of a portion of the end of the body-frame of the tray, and Fig. 10 is an edge view of the same. Fig. ll is a side view showing my construction as applied to a beer-box or the like. Fig. 12 is a side view of a beer-box, showing a modification of construction; and Fig. 13 is a section of the same on line :0, Fig. 12.

In said drawings, a indicates the body-frame of a steaming-trayof myimproved construction, and 1) indicates the detachable bottom.

Said body-frame is preferably of rectangular shape and of the usual size adapted to contain two dozen bottles and is formed with opposite vertical sides a a and ends a (1 secure greater lightness and economy of ma-' terial. The body-frame a is open at the top and bottom, the four sides lying in upright planes, without projections tointerfere with the upward movement of said frame away from the inclosed bottles. At the opposite ends a a are-large centrally'disposed openings d d, which extend nearly to the top edge, so as to afford hand-holes or means for lifting the frame, and nearly tothe bottom to provide space for certain locking devices hereinafter described. The handle portions of the frame above the openings (Z d may be suitably thickened or rounded, as at d, so as to be easy to the hand. The ends of the bodyframe are further recessed or notched upward from the bottom edge, as at (a to admit certain wire arms or staples e on the removable bottom and allow the lower edges of the frame a to rest upon the floor, of the removable bottom, and the locking devices above referred to are supported upon the outsides of the said ends.

The, removable bottom I) is preferably formed of sheet metal and has its edges bent 'or turned upward to form a vertical flange f, extending around the floor f. The lower portion of the frame a, fits within this flange f when the parts are connected, the frame resting upon the floorf and the flangef extending upward at the outer sides of the frame to prevent any lateral movement of the ,floor with relation. to the frame. The floor fis perforated, as at g, to drain all liquid out of the removable bottom, and the flange f is longitudinal central line, are arranged thearms or staples e, before mentioned, each of which preferably comprises a piece of wire bent atv right angles and having one arm, as

e, disposed parallel to the floor, with its end passing through the flange f and suitably riveted or soldered in place, the other arm e being perpendicularly secured to the floor of the removable bottom in a similar manner.

When the body-frame ctis applied to the botmm b, which is done by merely setting said frame down upon the removable bottom, the walls of the frame fit within the flange f of the removable bottom, their lower edges resting on the floorfof the bottom, and the upwardlyprojecting staples or arms e lie in the recesses 6 in the lower edge of the frame. To engage said staples e, and thus connect the frame and removable bott0m,.l have provided the looking devices shown more particularlyin Figs. 3, 9, and 10. The essential part of each looking device consists of two hooked levers i i, pivoted upon pins 1', so as to lie flat against the outersurface of the end of the removable bottom and work in avertical plane between the-end of the frame a and the flange f of the removable bottom I) when the two said parts are united, sufficient space being pro-- vided therebet we'en for the purpose. Each of said levers 2 has a downwardly-extending arm j and a horizontal arm in and is pivoted.

arm j that when the staple e on the removable bottom lies in the upper part of the recess e and the arm j is moved in front of said recess the said projection underlies the staple e and receives it in the hook-like recess formed at its upper side. It will be obvious that under this condition of things the frame and removable bottom are firmly connected by the four hooks arranged two at' each end, and the whole may be used as a complete tray. To enable a more ready connection to be made in case the hooked arm 7' of the bottle.

should belying'in front of the recess'e when it'was desired to enter the staple e'into said recess, I have beveled the lower end of the armj from the point of the projection j downwardly to-.the outer edge of the arm, so that the staple will force the hooked arm j out of its way as the frame and bottom come together.

For the convenient operating of the hooked levers i a vertical plunger m is centrally disposed'at the end of the frame a, said plunger carrying at thelower end a cross-head n, pivotally connected at its opposite ends to the adjacent ends of the opposite levers z At the top of the plunger is a finger-piece or pressure-piece 0, conveniently disposed beneath the handles d for lifting the frame a. The plunger 171 works in a perforation or bearing in a cross-bar p, suitably arranged on the frame on across the opening d. A shoulder m, or any other suitable form of stop below the cross-piece 19, serves to limit upward movement of the plunger, and a sleeve m or equivalent device arranged on said plunger above the cross-piece may prevent undue downward movement.

I prefer to place around the upper part-of the plunger m a spiral spring q, adapted to rest at'its lower end upon the cross-piecep and press at its upper end against the fingerpieee 0, said spring thus normally serving to hold the levers 2' in locking position. To connect the frame and bottom, then, it is'only necessary to set or press the frame down firmly upon the removable bottom and the locking together will be done automatically. To separate the parts, the plunger is forced downward by means of the finger-pieces 0. It will be evident that any other arrangement of springs to effect automatic locking might be used.

At the corners of the frame a are provided interior socket-s or slideways '1', adapted to receive vertical standards 2. of a steaming-top 3 to be placed over the bottles in the tray during the steaming operation, so as to prevent displacement of the corks in the bottles, as is usual. The horizontal portion of said steaming-top comprises an open-Work plate or grating consisting of cross-bars 4L 4 and 5 5, extending lengthwise and crosswise of the top, respectively, and being integrally joined at the points of crossing. The said cross-bars are so disposed in relation to one another that they cross directly above the bottles placed in the tray, and at the junctions of the cross-bars are perforations providing bearings for verticallyadjustable caps 6. Each cap comprises a bolt 7, work- .ing in said bearing and having at the top a finger-piece 8 and at the bottom a disk 9, concave atits under side to engage the cork The bolt 7 is provided with a lug 10, which works in a spiral groove 11 in the walls of the perforation, enabling the cap to be moved up or down with a screw motion. The cross-bars of the steaming-top preferl'IO ably bend or curve upward, as at 12, to elevate their points of crossing or seats for the caps 6, and thus form a recess for the disks.

In operation the frame or, and bottom I) being connected the tray thus formed is filled with bottles. The steaming-top is then put on and lowered until it engages the tops of the bottles, where it is held by set-screws s, engaging the standards 2. The bottles, however, vary slightly in height, and it is necessary to screw down a greater or less number of the individual caps to engage the corks of the shorter bottles. The Whole trayful of bottles is then steamed, and when this opera tion is completed the frame a is separated from the removable bottom, the bottles being left standing on said bottom, while the frame is carried off and connected to another bottom, which in order to facilitate matters may have been already filled with bottles.

It is obvious that instead of the steamingtop 3 being adjustable upon the frame a, as described, it might, if desired, be permanently secured to said frame, the removable bottom enabling bottles to be put in and taken out. It will also be evident from the above description of the use of my improved steamingtray that my invention could be applied to a box for transporting bottled beverages, as shown in Fig. 11. In this case the steamingtop not being needed is dispensed with, and in order to enable the boxes to be piled one on top of another, the sides or walls a extend upward above the top of the bottles. Interior partitions, either fixed, as at t, or removable, as at 25, may also be carried by the frame to prevent contact or breakage of the bottles. By this construction of a beer-box it is necessary in delivering to leave only the removable bottom with the bottles standing thereonand not the entire box. It is also obvious that a removable bottom might be more simply provided by having a flat plate 21, adapted to be slid into place through a slot at one side of the box, as shown in Figs. 12 and 13; but this construction would be less convenient and require more space for operation.

Other modifications and alterationsrnight also be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention, and I do not wish to be limited by the positive descriptive terms herein used except as the state of the art may require.

Having thus described the invention, What I claim as new is 1. A receptacle for bottled beverages, consistin g of a body portion having vertical walls and an open bottom permitting said body portion to be lifted up and away from the inclosed bottles, and a detachable bottom having staples or wires thereon, said body portion being provided with cooperating hooked levers and means for automatically operating the same, substantially as set forth.

2. The herein-described container-for bot tled beverages, comprising a detachable bottom provided with staples or hooks, a body portion open at the bottom, hooked levers pivoted on the body portion and adapted to engage said staples or hooks on the detachable bottom, and springs normally holding said levers in locking position, whereby the body portion and bottom are automatically united when pressed together, substantially as set forth.

3. In acontainer for bottled beverages, the combination of a body-frame and a detachable bottom, hooked levers pivoted on the frame and adapted to engage the said bottom and connect it to the frame, springs holding said levers in looking position, and fingerpieces for releasing said levers, substantially as set forth.

4. In a beer-box, the combination of a bodyframe and a detachable bottom, said bottom being provided with staples or Wires 6, and the frame having pivoted thereon bent levers having hooked arms adapted to engage said staples or wires on the detachable bot-tom, a connecting-link for said levers and a vertical plunger fast at its lower end to said connecting-link a finger-piece at the top of said plunger and a spring normally holding said levers in looking engagement with the staples on the detachable bottom, substantially as set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand this 24th day of May, 1899.

PHILIP D. LAIBLE.

Witnesses:

CHARLES H. PELL, C. B. PITNEY. 

